The author was telling a story. He established the theology in the prologue, then laid out his narrative.Giuseppe wrote: ↑Fri Feb 14, 2020 2:23 am Does not your view assume that the theology of the evangelist was going to be constructed in progress by himself, while he writes? I don't believe. The text is so much theological from first to last verse, that it can only explain a theology already formed.
The readers knew in advance that their Fourth-Gospel Jesus was one with the Father. In addition, the presence of the original Incipit where the Light was mentioned, and not the Word, makes it clear that the theology was there even before the rest of the gospel. The Light was God.
If, as you imply, he should have dispensed with any mystery from the viewpoint of the characters he wrote about, then why did John the Baptist express ignorance? The reader already knew Jesus was the Son of God, so why have John express his lack of knowledge, especially since from the reader's perspective (which you hold paramount) the reader already knew that John the Baptist would reveal it?
The reader also knew that the Pharisees would want to kill Jesus (a big part of the story!), so why not just put that into this scene too? In fact, why write a narrative at all? Why not just a list of dogmas, or just leave it at the prologue?
A narrative, by its nature, builds on itself to create a story-line and plot. The Pharisees not knowing/questioning the father of Jesus was laying down the story-line. The Gospel is a narrative. It is telling a story. By its nature, a narrative leaves things to reveal later on.